Whooping Crane - Potential Habitat Under Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) Conditions

Changes in tidal marsh area and habitat type in response to sea-level rise were modeled using the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM 6) that accounts for the dominant processes involved in wetland conversion and shoreline modifications during long-term sea level rise (Park et al. 1989; Successive versions of the model have been used to estimate the impacts of sea level rise on the coasts of the U.S. The model was produced by Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The SLAMM version 6 technical document can be accessed at http://warrenpinacle.com/prof/SLAMM. SLAMM outputs were converted from raster to vector features. Land cover (wetland) types were generalized to MesoHabitat type to coincide with the Composite Habitat Type Database. Using qualititative avian habitat use information from literature as well as spatially explicit habitat use data when available, MicroHabitat Types were then indexed for potential use by each avian species considered. An index of 3 represents potential high use habitat types, an index of 2 represents potential low use habitat types, and an index of 1 represents habitat types that would be used only incidentally. Habitat types with an index of 0 or no index preprent habitat types that would not be used at all for that particular species.For more information please see: Smith, E. H., F. Chavez-Ramirez, J. Gibeaut, L. Lumb, 2014. Employing the conservation design approach on sea-level rise impacts on coastal avian habitats along the Central Texas Coast. The Wildlife Management Institute, Final report.; https://www.fws.gov/science/catalog.